Wireless digital picture display frame

ABSTRACT

A wireless digital picture display frame is disclosed. The display frame includes a wireless receiver that operates to receive a digital picture, a flat-panel display that operates to render the digital picture, and a processor that operates to control the receiving and rendering of the digital picture. The display frame further includes a frame with constructs that encircle the flat panel display, and form a housing to house the enumerated components. The digital picture may be a digital painting/graphics rendition or a digital photograph.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of digital pictures. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to display apparatus digitalpictures.

2. Background Information

As advances in microprocessor and other related technologies continue toimprove the price/performance of various electronic components, digitalpictures, which as used herein include all amateur as well asprofessional digital renditions employing digital computers, cameras andthe like, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Powerfulpersonal computers including versatile painting and graphics layoutsoftware can now be purchased at only a fraction of the price just ahandful of years earlier. Similarly, numerous relatively inexpensive butyet functionally rich digital cameras are now available in the marketplace. They are being used by amateur photographers for day-to-dayroutine casual photography as well as by professional photographersincluding photo journalists and artists for serious journalistic andartistic works.

Notwithstanding the superior versatility of these digital pictures overconventional artwork and film based photographs, most consumers ofdigital pictures produced by commercial artists as well as casual usersof digital cameras, continue to display these digital pictures in theconventional manner, that is through prints of the renditions. Theconventional approach suffers from a number of disadvantages, includingthe disadvantages of requiring manual mounting of each print, andremounting if a user desires to display a different print. Thus, a moreefficient and cost effective way of displaying digital picture isdesired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wireless digital picture display frame is disclosed. The display frameincludes a wireless receiver that operates to receive digital pictures,a flat-panel display that operates to render the digital pictures, and aprocessor that operates to control the receiving and rendering of thedigital pictures. The display frame further includes a frame withconstructs that encircle the flat panel display, and form a housing tohouse the enumerated components.

In different embodiments, the digital pictures may be digitalpainting/graphics renditions or digital photographs. The display framemay further include either hanging features that facilitate hanging ofthe digital display frame, or support features that facilitate flatsurface placement of the digital display frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments,but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichlike references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIGS. 1a-1 b are front and side views of a wall mount embodiment of thedigital picture display frame of the present invention;

FIGS. 2a-2 b are front and side views of a flat surface placementembodiment of the digital picture display of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the internal architectural of thedigital picture display frames of FIGS. 1a-1 b and 2 a-2 b; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the operationalflow of the control logic provided to the processor of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, various aspects of the present inventionwill be described. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate thatthe present invention may be practiced with only some or all aspects ofthe present invention. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers,materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will alsobe apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may bepracticed without the specific details. In other instances, well knownfeatures are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the presentinvention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1a-1 b, 2 a-2 b, and 3, wherein two embodimentsof the digital picture display frame 100 and 100′ of the presentinvention are shown. FIGS. 1a-1 b are front and side views of a wallmount embodiment 100, whereas FIGS. 2a-2 b are front and side views of aflat-surface placement, such as table top, embodiment 100′. FIG. 3illustrates one embodiment of the internal architectural of displayframe 100 and 100′.

As shown, digital picture display frame 100 or 100′ of the presentinvention includes wireless receiver 102 that operates to receivedigital pictures from a remote external source, flat panel display 104that operates to render the received digital pictures, and processor 106that operates to control said receiving and rendering of the digitalpictures on flat panel display 104. Wireless receiver 102, flat paneldisplay 104, and processor 106 are coupled to each other by way of bus108. Additionally, wireless receiver 102 is also coupled to interruptprocessor 106 whenever it receives signals from a remote transmitter,e.g. the remote transmitter of the external source supplying displayframe 100 or 100′ with the digital pictures. These components 102-108are disposed on printed circuit board 112.

For each of the illustrated embodiments, digital picture display frame100 or 100′ also includes non-volatile memory 110 that operates to storethe received digital pictures. Non-volatile memory 110 is also coupledto wireless receiver 102, flat panel display 104 and processor 106 byway of bus 108; and disposed on printed circuit board 112. In alternateembodiments, the present invention may be practiced without non-volatilememory 110. For these alternate embodiments, digital picture displayframe 100 or 100′ is provided with a digital picture each time it powerson. For other embodiments, digital picture display frame 100 or 100′ isfurther provided with the same or new digital pictures periodicallythereafter.

For each of the illustrated embodiments, display frame 100 also includesa number of constructs, such as horizontal and vertical frame elements114 and 116, and back plate 118, that encircle flat panel display 104,and form a housing to house the above enumerated components, i.e.wireless receiver 102, processor 106, and so forth.

Additionally, for the wall mounted embodiment, display frame 100 alsoincludes hanging features 120 for facilitating hanging of display frame100, whereas for the flat surface placement embodiment, display frame100′ also includes support features 122 for facilitating flat surfaceplacement of display frame 100′, e.g. on a table top, a dresser top andso forth. Hanging features 120 and support features 122 may be any oneof a number of these features known in the art.

Digital pictures may be any digital painting/graphics renditions ordigital photographs. The external source supplying the digital picturemay be a digital camera, a palm computer, a laptop computer, a desksidecomputer or a desktop computer, equipped with an appropriate wirelesstransmitter for transmitting the digital pictures to display frame 100or 100′. As alluded to earlier, these external sources may supply thesame or different digital pictures periodically. In other words, a“slide show” of selected digital pictures may displayed.

As will be described in more detail below, multiple embodiments of thedigital picture display frame 100 or 100′ of the present invention maybe employed in an application, e.g. in a home application. In theseapplications, the external sources may supply different digital picturesto the different digital picture display frames 100 or 100′. Forexample, in a home application, the digital picture display frames 100or 100′ in the living room may be provided with different digitalpictures than those provided to digital picture display frames 100 or100′ in the family room or bedroom.

Wireless receiver 102 is intended to represent a broad category of thesereceivers known in the art. Similarly, flat panel display 104 is alsointended to represent a broad category of such displays known in theart, including and not limited to Processor 106 is intended to represent8-bit or more microcontrollers (MCU), 16-bit or more digital signalprocessors (DSP), as well as 32-bit or more general purposemicroprocessors (MP). Except for high end models with very high capacityand additional controls, it is expected that inexpensive 8-bit MCU willsuffice.

Similarly, bus 108 and non-volatile memory 110 are intended to representa number of these inexpensive components known in the art. In the caseof non-volatile memory 110, either block erasable flash memory,electrically erasable programmable read-only-memory (EEPROM),complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) memory or equivalent maybe used. The amount of memory required is application dependent, that isdependent on the size, format and resolution of the digital picturesupported. Except for high end models, it is expected that a smallamount of today's inexpensive non-volatile memory will suffice.

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the operational flow of the controllogic provided to processor 106. As shown, upon power on, processor 106determines if it is operating in an embodiment equipped withnon-volatile memory 110 or not, step 152. If processor 106 is operatingin an embodiment equipped with non-volatile memory 110, processor 106causes a stored digital picture to be rendered on flat panel display104, step 154, and then proceeds to step 156; else processor 106 skipsstep 154 and proceeds to step 156 directly. The displayed digitalpicture may be randomly chosen from the stored digital pictures orchosen in a predetermined manner, e.g. the first digital picture storedin non-volatile memory 110.

At step 156, processor 106 waits to be interrupted by wireless receiver102. Recall that wireless receiver 102 interrupts processor 106 when itreceives signals transmitted by a remote transmitter, e.g., the remotetransmitter associated with the external source supplying a digitalpicture to display frame 100 or 100′. Upon being interrupted by wirelessreceiver 102, processor 106 proceeds to step 158 to determine if thesignals received by wireless receiver 102 is intended for the particulardisplay frame 100 or 100′. If display frame 100 or 100′ is not theintended recipient, processor 106 ignores the signals received, andreturns to step 156 where it waits to be interrupted by wirelessreceiver 102 again. On the other hand, if display frame 100 or 100′ isthe intended recipient, and processor 106 is operating in an embodimentequipped with non-volatile memory 110, processor 106 causes the receiveddigital picture to be stored in non-volatile memory 110, step 160. Uponsaving the received digital picture, processor 106 proceeds to renderthe newly received digital picture, step 154. From step 154, processor106 proceeds as described earlier. If display frame 100 or 100′ is theintended recipient, and processor 106 is not operating in an embodimentequipped with non-volatile memory 110, processor 106 proceeds to step154 directly. In one embodiment, if step 160 is performed, it isperformed concurrently with step 154.

In one embodiment, each display frame 100 or 100′ is equipped with asmall non-volatile identification memory (not shown) for storing aunique identifier to uniquely identify the display frame 100 or 100′.For these embodiments, the remote external source includes at thebeginning of its transmission an identifier identifying the intendedrecipient of the digital picture. Any one of a number of protocols maybe employed to facilitate such identification process, which is wellwithin the ability of those ordinarily skilled in the art. Accordingly,as alluded to earlier, multiple display frames 100 or 100′ of thepresent invention may be deployed in the transmission space of theremote transmitter, for example, in an office or in a residence.

In general, those skilled in the art will recognize that the presentinvention is not limited by the details described; instead, the presentinvention can be practiced with modifications and alterations within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. In particular, various controlfeatures, such as forward, backward, and the like may be provided to thewireless picture display frame of the present invention. The descriptionis thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on thepresent invention.

Thus, a wireless digital picture display frame have been described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a plurality of frames, eachof the plurality of frames having a frame body, the frame body shaped,dimensioned, and having the appearance of a conventional still pictureframe, a wireless receiver disposed inside the frame body to receive adigital picture, a display co-located with the wireless receiver andframed by the frame body to render the digital picture, a processorcoupled with the wireless receiver and the display, and disposed insidethe frame body to control the receiving and rendering of the digitalpicture, and a unique identifier to uniquely identify each of theplurality of frames; and a remote source to provide digital pictureinformation to each of the plurality frames, and provide appropriateunique identifiers with the digital picture information to allowselective configuration of the pictures displayed by the plurality offrames, the selective configuration including uniquely identifyingintended recipients of the digital picture information among theplurality of frames using the unique identifiers; and a non-volatilememory coupled with the wireless receiver to store the digital picture.2. The system of claim 1, wherein the appropriate unique identifiers areprovided at the beginning of transmission.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the frame body comprises hanging features to hang the frame. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the frame body comprises support featuresfor surface placement of the frame.
 5. A method, comprising:distributing a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frameshaving a frame body shaped, dimensioned, and having the appearance of aconventional still picture frame, receiving a digital picture from anexternal source using a wireless receiver disposed inside the framebody, rendering the digital picture using a display co-located with thewireless receiver and framed by the frame body, and uniquely identifyingeach of the plurality of frames using a unique identifier; and providingdigital picture information to each of the plurality frames using aremote source, and providing appropriate unique identifiers with thedigital picture information to allow selective configuration of thepictures displayed by the plurality of frames, the selectiveconfiguration including uniquely identifying intended recipients of thedigital picture information among the plurality of frames using theunique identifiers.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the digitalpicture comprises at least one of the following: a digital painting, adigital graph, and a digital photograph.
 7. The method of claim 5,further comprises storing the digital picture using a non-volatilememory coupled with the wireless receiver.
 8. The method of claim 5,further comprises providing the unique identifiers at the beginning oftransmission.
 9. An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of frames, eachof the plurality of frames having a frame body, the frame body shaped,dimensioned, and having the appearance of a conventional still pictureframe, a wireless receiver disposed inside the frame body to receive adigital picture, a display co-located with the wireless receiver andframed by the frame body to render the digital picture, a processorcoupled with the wireless receiver and the display, and disposed insidethe frame body to control the receiving and rendering of the digitalpicture, and a unique identifier to uniquely identify each of theplurality of frames; and a remote source to provide digital pictureinformation to each of the plurality frames, and provide appropriateunique identifiers with the digital picture information to allowselective configuration of the pictures displayed by the plurality offrames, the selective configuration including uniquely identifyingintended recipients of the digital picture information among theplurality of frames using the unique identifiers.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 9, further comprising a non-volatile memory coupled with thewireless receiver to store the digital picture.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 10, wherein the non-volatile memory comprises at least one thefollowing: a block erasable flash memory, an electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory (EEPROM), and a complementary metal oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) memory.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thedigital picture comprises at least one of the following: a digitalpainting, a digital graph, and a digital photograph.
 13. The apparatusof claim 9, wherein the processor comprises at least one of thefollowing: an 8-bit or more microcontroller, a 16-bit or more digitalsignal processor, and a 32-bit or more general purpose microprocessor.